


Little Clues

by Howlingdawn



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Spoilers, aka the couple that SHOULD'VE had this plotline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 00:48:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29305263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Howlingdawn/pseuds/Howlingdawn
Summary: SPOILERS FOR 2X04At first, Grace doesn't put the clues together.And when she does, she has something very important to tell Judd.
Relationships: Grace Ryder/Judd Ryder (9-1-1 Lone Star)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 140
Collections: 9-1-1 Tales





	Little Clues

**Author's Note:**

> This was a pretty good ep right up until THAT. Normally I'd be giffing the ep rn but I just,,, I had to fix things

Grace set her glass in the sink, turning on the water to rinse it out with one hand, using her other to cover a yawn. Distantly, she heard Judd close the door after their guests, but she was much more occupied by thoughts of her very soft blankets… in her very soft bed…

“You ok, Gracie?”

Suddenly right behind her, Judd’s voice made her jump. “What?”

He reached past her to turn the faucet off. “I think it’s rinsed now.”

Blinking, she belatedly realized the glass was overflowing. She set it down, knowing there were other glasses to take care of, but in that moment, all she had the energy to do was reach for the towel. “I’m just tired,” she told him, drying her hands.

Judd frowned, pressing his hand to her forehead. “You ain’t getting sick, are you?”

She batted him off with the towel. “I’m not,” she assured him. “I just haven’t been sleeping well.”

“You have been nauseous lately,” he pointed out, brushing a stray lock of hair back from her forehead. “Are you sure you’re ok?”

For some reason, the question tugged at some budding realization in the back of her mind, but she was too tired to figure it out. “I’m fine,” she promised. “But I think I’ll turn in now. Do you mind-”

“Yeah, I’ll clean up,” he said, leaning down to kiss her forehead. “You get some sleep.”

“Thanks, honey,” she murmured, squeezing his hand.

She barely made it through changing into her pajamas before curled up, passing out the second her head hit the pillow.

\-----

“All right, everybody hit the showers!”

Munching on a Ho Ho she had dug out of the back of the cupboard, Grace headed out of the kitchen at Owen’s voice, smiling at the familiar group of firefighters piling out of the truck, complaining as they went. Judd lit up when he saw her, beelining over to her. “Gracie!”

Her smile grew as she went to meet him.

Only for a wall of absolutely _noxious_ odor to hit her like a tidal wave to the face.

She froze in place, clapping a hand over her mouth and nose. “ _What_ is that?” she demanded, voice muffled.

Judd stopped, mouth hanging open in mild offense. “At least you weren’t stuck in the truck with them,” he muttered, hooking his thumb over his shoulder to point at his crew.

“Heard that,” Paul called.

“Don’t care,” Judd retorted.

Grace shuffled back several steps, swallowing desperately, struggling to take very shallow breaths.

The humor faded from Judd’s tone, his brows furrowing. “You’re nauseous again.”

“Because you reek,” she mumbled.

“Not that bad.” He started to take a step closer, then rocked backwards, crossing his arms as he forced himself to stay put. “Maybe you should see a doctor, honey.”

“I don’t need to see a-”

_Oh._

_Oh, God._

As if Judd’s words had shaken something loose, all of the clues – all of the _symptoms_ – tumbled together into a picture so blindingly clear she couldn’t fathom how she had missed it.

“Gracie?”

Holding her breath, she brushed past her husband, hurrying back to her car. “I’ll see you at home!” she called over her shoulder once she was a safe distance away.

_And I think I’ll have some news._

\-----

Grace paced the living room as the end of Judd’s shift came and went, nerves and excitement racing through her as she glanced yet again at the test she held. It was the fifth one she had taken – and the fifth one with the exact same answer.

“Grace?”

She spun around, her emotions skyrocketing to a heart-racing crescendo. “Judd!”

He dropped his keys and jacket on the nearest piece of furniture, something she would’ve scolded him for on any other night. “Are you ok?” he asked, closing the distance between them as if he couldn’t reach her fast enough.

Keeping the test tucked behind her back, she reached for his hand. “I have some news.”

“What news? Are you ok?”

Despite his impatience, he let her guide him to sit on the couch. “I’m fine,” she promised, running her thumb over his knuckles.

“Good.” He let out a breath. “You had me scared, running out of the station like that.”

“Not my best moment,” she admitted. “I’m sorry. But I needed to check something.”

“Check what?” he asked, looking her over again before looking around for the answer, then noticing with suspicion the hand still behind her back. “What are you hiding?”

Biting her lip, Grace slowly moved her hand into view, tilting the pregnancy test so it caught the light.

Judd stared.

_Say something._

And stared.

_Say something._

And stared.

_Please say something._

“Are you…?” he finally started. “Are- are we…?”

Clinging to his hand, Grace nodded.

He stared some more.

“I know we haven’t exactly decided to start trying-” she broached.

In the blink of an eye, he swept her into his arms, leaping to his feet and spinning her around. She shrieked a laugh, throwing her arms around him, their lips meeting instinctively, joy sparking off the passionate kiss.

Not letting go of her, he set her down on the couch, where she could more easily meet his eyes. “We’re having a baby,” he whispered, as if saying it aloud would bring the dream to a crashing halt.

She nodded, beaming, tears brimming in her eyes. “We’re having a baby,” she confirmed, disbelief and euphoria both bubbling over into laughter. “We’re having a baby.”

Grinning more brightly than she had ever seen, he kissed her again, tenderly this time, his hand drifting to her stomach. She laid her hand over his, and as the last dregs of worry over his reaction were washed away, it finally, truly sank in that there was a tiny little life beneath their palms.

_Our baby._

_We’re having a baby._

She rested her forehead against his, closing her eyes, savoring this first precious, beautiful moment, one of many to come.

Until another wave of nausea rolled over her, sending her sprinting for the bathroom.


End file.
